


Hawaii?

by notabadday



Series: Love You, I Do [1]
Category: The West Wing, West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-10
Updated: 2012-09-10
Packaged: 2017-11-14 00:00:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/509181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notabadday/pseuds/notabadday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is my, rather optimistic, take on a missing scene from Transition wherein Josh propositions Donna with a trip to Hawaii — and verbalises a response to her, “if we can’t figure out what we want from each other”….</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hawaii?

With a sudden sense of urgency, spurred on by the encouragement of Sam and the President-elect, Josh marched to his office. He felt his pocket for his cell phone as he walked. It was out ready by the time he was inside the office. Closing the door haphazardly at the same time, he dialled Donna.

 “Donna, I love you.” His introduction was abrupt, to say the least. “I think you know that already, but it seemed important I say it. You wanted me to figure out what I want? You. I want you. All of you: your smile, your wit, your compassion; I’ll take it all. Forever. Did I mention your smile? You don’t even know what it does to me when you smile.” As Josh spoke, a smile similar to the one he imagined appeared on his own face, belonging to a thoughtful expression.

 He continued. “I gotta have you around. I want to do this. I am  _in_  this, Donnatella Moss.” His voice was resolute, with a confident cadence that rejected interruption. He had worked himself up, had to, to get it out. Finally, it was out. And yet, she was silent. After nine years, he finally let it loose for her ears and she wasn’t saying anything at all.

 “Josh, you’re on speakerphone,” she said apologetically, after a pause.

 “You - are - adorable,” Annabeth squeaked, as if each word was a separate sentence. Her remark was followed by the recurring sound of Josh’s head hitting the desk.

 “Annabeth…” After a final heartening smile to her friend, the petite blonde let them alone.

 “Couldn’t have given me a little heads up there, Donna?”

 “I didn’t want to interrupt. You had a momentum going.”

 Then a pause hung in the air, with permeating disquiet, as they both searched their minds for the right thing to pull focus. Tears resided in Donna’s eyes but she felt her opportunity to acknowledge them may have passed. Josh cleared his throat. “You wanted me to figure it out, and I did my best. How’d I do?”

 “Pretty good. Do you mean it?”

 “ _Do I mean it?_ ” Josh repeated, stressing the intonation of the question.

 “Yes.” She was tentative but, nevertheless, spoke with poise. “I’ve been in love with you since the day we met, Josh, but that hasn’t always meant that we should forge a relationship.”

 “Are you trying to persuade me out of this?”

 “No, I just… Time’s not on our side. I want to do this in whatever way means that I get you. That’s what I want. But you’re not  _all_  I want anymore. Are you going to run for the hill when we start talking about marriage? Are you gonna freak out when I start feeling broody? I want a family, Josh. I’m not saying today, tomorrow, next week, but the horizon’s not limitless.” Donna was bold in her response, with little resemblance to her former self. Her love and loyalty to him was unconditional, but their romantic relationship was not to be.

 “I want a wife, I want a family,” Josh said, defensively. “I’m not messin’ around anymore, Donna. I’ve had about twenty minutes to clear my head, and this is where I am. Took me a while, but I’m here. And I want to take you to Hawaii and then we’re gonna get through the inauguration and the first hundred days. After that, if you haven’t thought better of it, we’ll talk about the next step here. We’ll do more than talk about it.”

 “What makes you think  _you_  won’t have thought better of it after the first hundred days?”

 “Because there isn’t anything better, Donna. Not for me.” His voice cracked as his confident delivery quivered over the latter sentence. Donna went quiet but it was a comfortable silence. Josh imagined her smile once more.

 “So… Hawaii?”

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is very welcome.


End file.
